ERC=Science²

Scope

Along with 7 consortium partners and 9 Ecsite members, Ecsite brought the excitement and curiosity emanating from the ERC-funded research to the general public in the form of a set of attractive and intriguing activities and events.  

Over the course of 42 months, the project launched 6 scientific themes, the content of which is conveyed to the public by means of live-science experiences, debates, games, experiments, demonstrations and public events all in cooperation with Ecsite members from 9 European countries. After the Human City, Food, Longevity, and Sensory experience, other highlights were Music, and finally Robotics. The specific shape and form of these activities were carefully designed by Ciência Viva and Ecsite in order to spark the interest and curiosity of the general public in science and to engage it in discussions on controversial scientific issues. Moreover, the campaign communicated the cutting-edge ERC-funded research projects and results to the public with the intention of capturing people’s imagination and curiosity in the frontier research that is being conducted.

Nonetheless, the general public was only one segment of the broad target audience addressed by the project. Students, researchers, business leaders and entrepreneurs, science journalists, as well as EU and national policymakers, all formed part of the vast audience of the ERC=Science² project.

Led by Science I Business, the project planned to capitalize on the use of traditional web-based and social media but also more novel and innovative carriers of information, such as augmented reality, modules of graphic design, professional journalistic “snowfall” articles and more.

The project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 672302